Silverware dispenser



.May l2, 1954 A. FLoRENDo 3,132,765

SILVERWARE DISPENSER Filed July 20, 1962 l f l [Occ/E l4oL/ l5o. l5f

F/G 3 1e I8 INVENTOR. [Mgr L ALEX FLORE/V00 w y B kI5 2]/ (lila 3,132,765 Patented May 12, 1964 3,132,765 SENERWARE DISPENSER Alex Florendo, 1615i) Wood Acres Road, Los Gatos, Calif. Filed July 20, 1962, Ser. No. 211,336 4 Claims. (Cl. 2Z1-93) This invention relates to a portable flatware or silverware dispenser.

An object of this invention is to provide an unproved flatware or silverware dispenser that is constructed so that it dispenses the atware or silverware correctly arranged for a place setting on the table.

Another object of this invention is to provide 'an 1mproved flatware or silverware dispenser which is constructed to receive a supply of such flatware or silverware arranged in stacks therein according to the place settings so that a place setting may be dispensed therefrom simultaneously correctly arranged for use by the diner.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved atware or silverware dispenser that 1s constructed to dispense the silverware or flatware required for a place setting simultaneously without the silverware or flatware being handled by the operator.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawings.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided an eflicient flatware or silverware dispenser that may be economically manufactured and which has few moving parts that are likely to get out of adjustment or be broken in normal use. This device is provided with an arrangement for receiving a plurality of stacks of forks, knives and spoons and these stacks are arranged in accordance with a place setting of'the flatware or silverware. Thus there is provided means for holding two stacks of forks in the left-hand part of the device and one 'stack of knives, two stacks of teaspoons and one lstack of soup spoons in the right-hand part of the device with a handle between these parts. Two bottom members are provided in this device and one of these bottom members is movable a predetermined distance with respect to the other bottom member. The movable bottom member is arranged so that it shifts one place setting of the flatware or silver- Ware out of the stacks and this one place setting is dropped out of the Xed bottom member through apertures provided therein so that the place setting of iiatware or silverware is deposited on the table out of the bottom 'of the device. Thus the place settings of flatware or silverware are placed on the .table correctly arranged for use by the diner without the individual pieces being handled by the operator of this dispenser.

These and other features of this invention will be set forth in the following` specification, claims and drawing in which brieiiy:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 or FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of leverage employed for shifting the movable bottom member; and

FIG. 5 is a view of another modified form of leverage for shifting the movable bottom member.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral 1t) designates the outer wall structure of this device provided with end Walls 16a and 10b. This wall structure may be made of suitable material such as stainless steel, Bakelite, plastic and the like so that it may be washed and sterilized. Cross members or partitions 12 and 13 are positioned in the central portion of the structure 10 to divide the device into three compartments, as shown in FIG.' 1, with the left-hand compartment being provided for the forks, the central compartment being provided for the handle 11, and dispensing operating mechanism which will be described hereinafter, and the right-hand compartment which is provided for the knives and spoons.

Apertured bottom members 14 and 15 are provided to this device with the bottom member 15 iixedly attached to the front and back wall structure of the device. The bottom member 14 is positioned on the top of the bottom member 15 and it is slidable with respect thereto so that the apertures `14a-141c of member 14 may be brought into registry with the apertures 15a-157i, respectively of the bottom member 15 during the silverware dispensing operation.

The fork-receiving compartment is provided with recessed members 16 and 17. Thus, the recesses 16a and 16h of member 16 are provided for receiving the time ends of the two stacks of forks 18 and 19 which are placed in this compartment, and the recesses 17a and 1'7b in member 17 are provided for receiving the handle ends of these stacks of forks. This compartment is constructed to receive two stacks of forks 18 and 19 with the lowermost forks in these stacks positioned in the apertures 14a and 14b of the bottom member 14 so that they rest on the bottom member 15 to one side of the apertures 15a and 15b, respectively.

Members 20 and 21 are provided to the bottom 14, and these members are positioned to the left of fork 18 and to the left of fork 19 respectively. Member 22 which is also attached to the bottom 14, is provided to the right of fork 19. The upper surfaces of these members 20 and 21 are provided with a curved contour that corresponds substantially to the curved contour of the handle portion of the fork, and these members are made with a thickness such that the upper curved surfaces thereof are substantially flush with the upper curved surface of the handle of the lowermost fork in each case. This is important in the dispensing operation since the members 2li and 21 serve to engage the left-hand side of the forks 18 and 19 when these forks are pushed sideways over the apertures 15a and 15b of the bottom member 15. While these lowermost forks are being pushed over these apertures in the bottom member 15, the curved members 20 and 21 are also being moved underneath the fork stacks so that Vthese stacks rest on these members Zil vand 21 when the lowermost forks are dispensed. Thereafter, the slidable bottom member 14 is shifted back to its normal position and the fork stacks are lowered into the apertures 14a and 1412 whereupon the members 2t) and 21 again assume thelr positions to the left of these stacks and in alignment l with the lowermost fork in each stack.

The right-hand compartment shown in FIG. 1 is provided with recessed members 24 and 25 for receiving four stacks of silverware, namely, one stack 26 of knives, two stacks of teaspoons 27 and 28, and one stack of soup spoons 29. Thus, the member 24 is provided with recesses 24a; 24b, 24C and 24d for receiving the working ends of the knives, spoons and soup spoons, respectively, and member 25 is provided with recesses 25a, 25b, 25e, and 25d for receiving the handle end portions of these stacks, respectively. Normally, the lowermost knife in the knife stack is positioned in the recess 14e in bottom member 14, and the lowermost teaspoons in the two teaspoon stacks are positioned in the recesses 14d and 14e, whereas the lowermost soup spoon s positioned in the recess 14jc in the bottom member 14. However, because the knife has a thickness corresponding substantially to the thickness of the bottom member 14, the lowermost knife from the stack will be lodged substan- 'where it is desired to place a set of silverware.

tially iiush with the aperture 14C, whereas the teaspoons and soup spoons have a curved contour, both in the working end and in the handle portions so that these parts of the spoons will be extending above the apertures in the member 1d in which pontions of the spoons are lodged. Thus, in the case of the spoons, it is necessary to provide the members 3d, 31 and 32 which have a curved upper surface such that this curved upper surface is substantially aligned with the curved portion of the handle. As a result, when the slidable bottom member 14 is moved into :the dispensing position, the members 30, 31 and 32 are shifted underneath the stacks of teaspoons and soup spoons to support these stacks, and at the same time these members engage the sides of the handle portions of the spoons to insure the shifting of the spoons over the apertures a', 15e and 15j in the other bottom member 15. Also, the bottom portions of the member Zd between the recesses and to the right of the spoon recesses are cut away so as not to interfere with the shifting of the spoons to the right underneath these parts.

The movable bottom member 14 is provided with a member di) which is attached thereto and which projects upward as shown in FG. 2 to receive the pivot pin 39. The lower end of the lever 3'7 is provided with a suitable slot for receiving the pin 39 which is ixedly attached to the member liti. The lever 37 is in the shape of a bellcrank and is pivoted by means of the pivot pin 38 in the handle 1i. A suitable slot is provided in the underside of this handle 11 for receiving the horizontal part of the bellcrank 37 which is shown in broken lines in FlG. 2. This horizontal part of the bellcrank 37 is provided with a depending part 35 which extends downward and proiects from the underside of the handle 11 so that it may be engaged by the operators forenger, for example, when it is desired to shift the movable bottom member 14 with respect to the fixed bottom member 15. The part 3S is pressed upward into the aforesaid slot provided in the handle 11 and against the tension of the spring 36 which is positioned in the slot above the part 35. This operation swings the vertical part of the bellcrank 37 slightly to the right so that the slidable bottom member 14 is moved to the right a short distance. The place` setting of the silverware is moved over the apertures 15a-15j in the fixed bottom 15 and is dropped into these apertures so that when the device is lifted this place setting of silverware will be dispensed therefrom. That is, it will be resting on the table top. The device is then lifted and moved to another part of the table Also, the bellcrank 37 is allowed to return to its normal position by releasing the part 35 and permitting the spring 36 to move the crank to this position. At the same time the movable bottom member 14 is shifted to the left so that the apertures 14a-M are brought underneath the respective stacks of the silverware and the lowermost pieces of silverware in these stacks are permitted to drop into these apertures 14a-M of the movable bottom member ld. Thus these silverware pieces are then in position to be moved to the right over the apertures 15a-15f of the fixed bottomV 15.

ln FIG. 4 there is illustrated a modified form of leverage employed for moving the movable bottom member 14 with respect to the lixed bottom member 15. In this form of the invention the bellcranl: 37 has the lower part thereof also pivotally attached to the member 40 of the jslidable bottom 'member 14 by means of the pivot pin 39. For this purpose the lever 37 is provided with a short slot in which the pivot pin 39 is adapted to move when the lever is moved during the operation thereof. The bellcrank 37 is provided with a substantially horizontalmember d1 which is integral with the substantially vertical part thereof and a pivot pin 3S is` provided .in the angular part of this lever for pivotally supporting it on the handle 1l. The handle 11 is provided with a slot Vfor receiving the substantially horizontal part 41 so that this part may be depressed into this slot against the tension of the spring 36 which is also positioned in this slot in the forward part thereof andbears against a wall of the slot and against the member 41. Thus when the member 41 is depressed into the slot against the tension of the spring 3d the movable bottom member 14 is shifted a short distance to the right sullicient to move the apertures 14a-14j over the apertures 15a-1Sf respectively of the fixed bottom member for depositing a4 place setting of the silverware as described above.

Still another lever arrangement for moving the movable bottom member 14 with respect to the fixed bottom member 15 is shown in FIG. 5. This arrangement ernploys an L-shaped lever which is provided with a part 42 that is pivotally attached by means of the pivot pin to the fixed bottom member 15. it is also provided with an integral upstanding part 44 that is pivotally attached by means of the pivot pin i7 to the member 4S. The member 45 is attached by the rivets, screws or the like 46 to the movable bottom member 14. The upstanding-part 415 is provided with a slot for receiving the pivot pin d'7. This pin moves in this slot when the part 42 is placed on the table and is pressed into a suitable recess formed in the bottom members 14 and 15. Thus when .the device is set on the top of the table the movable bottom 14 is shifted to the right to align the apertures 14a-14j with apertures 15a-Hf. When the device is lifted from the table so that pressure is no longer exerted on the part i2 the spring t3 functions to rotate the l--shaped lever on its pivot 43 and this operation moves the movable bottom member 14 to the left to its normal position in which `the apertures 14a-1.4i are positioned under the stacks of silverware so that the bottommost members in each of these stacks are in these apertures.

`While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

l. ln a portable flatware or silverware dispenser from which a substantially complete place setting of silverware comprising a knife, forks and spoons, some of which have curved handle portions, is dispensed substantially simultaneously on the table arranged ready for use, the combination comprising a portable device having a frame with a pair of substantially at bottom members, the lowermost of said bottom members being fixedly attached to said frame, and the other of said bottom members being slidable on said lowermost member, said device having means for receiving a plurality of stacks of silverware placed therein, said slidable bottom member having apertures formed therein under said stacks, each of said apertures having the general outline of the silverware stacked thereover, said xedly attached bottom member having corresponding apertures formed therein, the corresponding apertures in said bottom members being normally displaced from each other, said stacks normally rest on said lixed bottom member when said slidable bottom member is in its normal position, means for urging said slidable bottom member to its normal position, and

, means for moving said slidable bottom member with said curved surface means being moved under selected one of said stacks when said slidable bottom member is moved to supportsaid selected stacks until said slidable bottom member is returned to its normal position.

2. In a portable atware or silverware dispenser from which a substantially complete place setting of silverware comprising a knife, forks and spoons, some of which have curved handle portions, is dispensed substantially simultaneously on the table ready for use, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means in said frame for separating said stacks of silverware into two groups with a relatively wide space therebetween substantially centrally disposed in said frame, and a handle attached to said frame in said relatively wide space so that the dispenser may be carried oriented substantially horizontally thereby.

3. ln a portable flatware or silverware dispenser from which a substantially complete place setting of silver* ware, comprising a knife, forks, and spoons, some of which have curved handle portions, is dispensed substantially simultaneously on the table arranged ready for use, the combination as set forth in claim 2 further comprising an operating leverage for moving said slidable bottom member, said operating leverage having the bottom part thereof connected to said slidable bottom member and having the upper part thereof associated with said handle.

4. In a portable atware or silverware dispenser from which a substantially complete place setting of silverware, comprising a knife, forks and spoons, some of which have arched handle portions, is dispensed substantially simultaneously on the table arranged ready for use, the combination as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a mechanism for operating said `slidable bottom member, said mechanism comprising a crank having one end projecting from said fixed bottom member, pivot means for attaching said crank to said fixed bottom member, said crank being adapted to turn on said pivot means when the bottom part of said crank engages the table, means for connecting said crank to said slidable bottom member for sliding said slidable bottom member when said crank is turned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A PORTABLE FLATWARE OR SILVERWARE DISPENSER FROM WHICH A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE PLACE SETTING OF SILVERWARE COMPRISING A KNIFE, FORKS AND SPOONS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE CURVED HANDLE PORTIONS, IS DISPENSED SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE TABLE ARRANGED READY FOR USE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PORTABLE DEVICE HAVING A FRAME WITH A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM MEMBERS, THE LOWERMOST OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBERS BEING FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME, AND THE OTHER OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBERS BEING SLIDABLE ON SAID LOWERMOST MEMBER, SAID DEVICE HAVING MEANS FOR RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF STACKS OF SILVERWARE PLACED THEREIN, SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING APERTURES FORMED THEREIN UNDER SAID STACKS, EACH OF SAID APERTURES HAVING THE GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE SILVERWARE STACKED THEREOVER, SAID FIXEDLY ATTACHED BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING CORRESPONDING APERTURES FORMED THEREIN, THE CORRESPONDING APERTURES IN SAID BOTTOM MEMBERS BEING NORMALLY DISPLACED FROM EACH OTHER, SAID STACKS NORMALLY REST ON SAID FIXED BOTTOM MEMBER WHEN SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER IS IN ITS NORMAL POSITION, MEANS FOR URGING SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER TO ITS NORMAL POSITION, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIXED BOTTOM MEMBER TO BRING THE APERTURES THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT, SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING SIDE OF THE CURVED HANDLES OF SELECTED LOWERMOST PIECES OF SILVERWARE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING THE LOWERMOST PIECES OF SILVERWARE LATERALLY FROM EACH OF SAID STACKS, SAID LASTMENTIONED MEANS HAVING CURVED UPPER SURFACES THAT CONFORM SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE UPPER CURVED SURFACES OF SAID HANDLE PORTIONS OF SAID LOWERMOST PIECES OF SILVERWARE, SAID CURVED SURFACE MEANS BEING MOVED UNDER SELECTED ONE OF SAID STACKS WHEN SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER IS MOVED TO SUPPORT SAID SELECTED STACKS UNTIL SAID SLIDABLE BOTTOM MEMBER IS RETURNED TO ITS NORMAL POSITION. 